


'Till Dawn

by syusuke



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Feels, Blood and Gore, Canonical Character Death, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hatake Kakashi Needs a Hug, M/M, Pack Feels, Prompt: Bad things happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:54:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24008437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syusuke/pseuds/syusuke
Summary: He had nightmares ever since father died. Some worse than others. They never stopped, but at least he doesn't have to deal with them alone anymore.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Senju Tobirama
Comments: 6
Kudos: 68





	'Till Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> I only wanted to draw the fanart, but then I got inspired to write something for it. Fanart on the bottom of the page.

_It’s too late. It’s too late._

He tries to stop. Dodge her, cut off the chakra flow, at least change the trajectory.

_No! He can’t, he won’t._

Blood hitting his face. Her shocked expression, eyes wider than he’s ever seen. His hand making contact and he can’t stop. He can’t.. the white sparks still cover his hand and then it gives and gives and it shouldn’t be so easy, shouldn’t feel like cutting through butter. He sees his right shaking, covered in red, warm, way too warm – only now the chakra fades. But it’s too late.

_Too late._

Her body tilts towards him. He twitches, goes to catch her. Her eyes fix on him, strained in obvious pain. But then her weight shifts, falling backwards. Away from him. All tension escaping her body.

He killed her… He…

_Too late. Always too late._

* * *

Tobirama startled awake.

A scream, something hitting the floor, bed shaking. Intruder?

He let his hand wander, feeling the bed beside him and he found nothing. Not a warm body where it should be, not even the blanket. Then it dawned on him.

“Kakashi?”

He focused on the sounds around him and there was heavy breathing, almost cut off, accompanied by shuffling paws and quiet whines. He could sense chakra pulsing under the surface, ready to be directed, ready to attack.

_Leaving him alone again. Everyone left him._

_Not real. It’s not real… But he killed her. He KILLED her. Rin. Obito too! It should have been him. Obito would have stopped. Obito would never.._

Tobirama reached for the light and the soft glow revealed his lover curled into himself on the floor. Akino and Shiba were nudging him, staying close even when he pulled away. He was ducking his head low, hiding behind his own hands, shoulders shaking, knuckles white from the relentless grip on his hair.

His mind clearly far away.

Tobirama approached slowly. Even so the dogs growled at him when he moved to touch their alpha. He should be irritated by their mistrust, but he only felt gratitude for their fierce loyalty. The pack had the strongest bonds he’d ever seen with a human. He couldn’t resent them for protecting their own. He spoke to them as much as to Kakashi.

“You’re home. Kakashi, you’re safe. Let me help. Yes, that’s it. Let go. Loosen that grip. There’s no need for pain. May I touch you?”

_Pack. Pack nearby. No, blood dripping from his hands. Her blood... But that voice never lied. He was safe?_

Kakashi’s fingers relaxed, but he did not lower his hands. When he tried to speak, only a cut-off sob escaped. Tobirama knelt behind him. He wanted nothing more than hugging him close and holding him until the last remnants of the nightmare vanished. And then longer still after that, giving him all the affection he would allow. It hurt to see him like this. Frightened like a small child. Like Itama before his first mission. Reduced to a shivering mess of tangled emotions. Lost in his own mind.

“I can’t get the blood off. I’m.. I’m..”

He couldn’t wait any longer. Tobirama gently grabbed him by the shoulders. Firm enough, but not constricting. He held him steady, reassuring him in a low tone that he was safe. That there was no blood on him. That his hands had saved and protected more lives than they had taken. That he was not to blame for the actions of others.

_Tobi. Safe. Home. Breathe. Only a dream. Steady. Trust that voice._

He did not tell him that it had been cruel and selfish of Rin to use him for her suicide. He did not tell him that on a good day Kakashi remembered she died with a smile, visibly relieved. He did not tell him how incredibly resilient he was for enduring all this pain and remaining sane. He did not tell him that he resented Hiruzen for how he treated him, letting him live alone in the house his father died at such a young age, using him like a weapon without a thought for the man behind the mask.

But he told him that he was kind and good and that he was very dear to him. That he didn’t want to imagine a life without him and his smelly dogs.

He counted it as a win when he got a dry laugh for that.

Kakashi’s shaking eased up a little and he shuffled back into Tobirama’s chest, resting his head against his shoulder and finally dropping his hands. Tobirama pulled him even closer, squishing him in a tight hug and pressing a soft peck to his temple before he loosened the embrace again. Not constricting, never constricting. He could never leave, not after spending so much time tearing down Kakashi’s walls and finally being allowed in. Not when unruly silver hair tickled his neck and a heavily scarred hand came up to hold onto his. Not when the younger man visibly relaxed under his touch.

Tobirama smiled fondly at Akino when he dragged Kakashi’s discarded blanket over their legs, trying to cover them. Akino curled up at his side, refusing to leave them. Shiba was half in Kakashi’s lap and wagged his tail happily at the absentminded scratches he received.

Sleep was overrated. He’d much rather sit here on the floor with Kakashi in his arms, flanked by Shiba and Akino, sharing their warmth. They could chase away the ghosts of the past together.

* * *

The art that got everything started:  


**Author's Note:**

> Because the online community means a lot to me especially in these times:
> 
> I'm always up to chat over on tumblr! Find me as syusukerambles or syusukewrites. I swear I'm friendly ^^
> 
> If you'd like to join a fun discord, there is one specifically focused on the Founders!  
> You can use this invite or hit me up for a new one, if time ran out.  
> https://discord.gg/mMpVZy


End file.
